The men weren't standing near any real hills. The gun Williford was holding wasn't real either.

Instead, the men were indoors at the Fort Indiantown Gap digital training campus, among several Pennsylvania Army National Guard soldiers trying out a new $500,000 virtual trainer Wednesday.

Capt. Gordon Kinneer, the simulations officer in charge at Fort Indiantown Gap, said the new virtual trainer, called Dismounted Soldier Training System, was developed by Intelligent Decisions Inc. It allows a group of nine soldiers wearing lifelike military equipment to work on squad-based tactics, techniques and procedures in a virtual setting.

In addition to a uniform and helmet, each soldier wears headphones and goggles that display the virtual world. Sensors are fastened to each soldier's arms and legs, and the goggles, headphones and sensors plug in to a backpack the soldier wears.

Although it's not real, the simulated weapon each soldier carries during the training is made to feel like the real thing.

"The weapons are designed to feel the same and have the same weight in the same places" as real weapons, said Neal Eskin, an engineer with PEO STRI, which develops training system material for the Army. Eskin said there are more than 30 other training locations nationwide where the simulator is in use, but he planned to get feedback from the soldiers after the test run Wednesday.

Kinneer said the virtual trainer is similar to a video game. Though the sensors detect if a soldier is standing, kneeling or lying down, a soldier moves in the virtual world by using a small joystick on the gun. Still, the simulator is more advanced than a video game.

"You can simulate reaching into your grenade pack, then throw a grenade," he said. "It's true to life."

In Xbox gaming system, Kinneer said, you would just push a button to throw a grenade.

As the soldiers tried out the new trainer, Lt. Col. Al Ornoski watched in amusement.

"It's state-of-the-art stuff, he said. Then, with a laugh, he added, "But it's kinda tough for old guys like me."

Virtual training means real tax savings

Capt. Gordon Kinneer, the simulations officer in charge at Fort Indiantown Gap, said a new virtual trainer introduced to soldiers Wednesday will provide savings to taxpayers.

"We can do a practice run before we go out and use live rounds," Kinneer said. Training in the field is more expensive, he said. Although the new equipment cost $500,000, in the long run, it will provide a savings, he said.Kinneer said ammunition for the basic military weapon is between $70 and $80 for 200 rounds. For nine soldiers, that's between $630 and $720 in ammunition costs per training session.

Also, with a virtual trainer, if something goes wrong, you can reset the virtual mission, he said.

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